Holder for knives, spoons, and other utensils.



. T all 'whom it may concern "UNTTED STATES PATENT ormon- WILLIAM J. eIBBo'Ns, or PHILADELPHTA, rnivnsrnvanrn.

HOLDER FCR KNIVES, SPOONS, AND vOTHER UENSILS.

Specification of Letters lateznt.` Paftnied Dec. 15, 1914.

Application led January 26,1914. SerialNo. 814,282..

Be it known that I, IVI'LLIAM J. GIBBoNs,

lacitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have in.

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Holders for Knives, Spoons,and

other Utensils, of which the following ris a specification. l

My invention" relates particularly to holders involving features of construction which are disclosed in my Patent No. 1,052,813,

issued February 11th, 1913, and ithas for y its` object to provide suchy holders ywith means ywhereby the same may be 4conveniently lifted by hand and'car'ried without. a tendency on the part thereof to swing into a position in which the base occupies an inclined instead of a horizontal plane.

In the construction, as shown in the accompanying drawings illustrative of my in- 'vention, it is necessary that when the holder verse section thereof, andF ig. is a perspective view of still another modification of the structure.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the rear side of a structure and 2 the ends thereof. The bottomsof therear side and ends are connected by means of a board or plate 3 forming the base of the holder. The opposite or front side of the structure is open as illustrated. The space formed ywithin the parts 1, 2 and 3 is divided into compartments by means of partitions 4 as 1 shown.

In Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive a construction is illustrated in which suchl space is divided into two compartments 'while in Fig. 5 such space is divided into four compartments. Also in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the depth from front to rear of one ofthe com? partments is greater than the depth of the other. The compartment of greater depth is adapted for holding knives or otherutensils which are of greater length than utensils yequivalent means. y Although the supports "5 are preferably 'included inthe construction, it will beun-y f such as forks or spoons which may be placed i in ythe other compartment yof lessdepth. o In Fig. 5, however, all of the compartments are rof the same depth from front to rear.

' In the several forms of .construction the bottom edges of tlie'ends 2 and the partitions rk4are cutl at anobtuse angle'to'the y 'planes of such ends and partitions, tliatzis, at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal axis of theholder,l so that when the `bottom which is secured to such ends is restingupon 9 f a table or other horizontal, support the holder leans'or inclines to the rear.l"l`he` tops of the ends and of tliepartitions, how-kk ever, are cut along a plane at right angles to the length of the said ends and partitions, that is, at a right angle tothe'longitudinal axis of the holder, as is illustrated in` the drawings. i

Each of the compartments of the holders,y o

is providedvwith inclined supports 5 uponk which the articles or Autensils which .f are ends of these supports are elevated, as shown, and incline from the front downf wardly to the .rearfsuch inclinationbeing very clearly shown in, ligsgy and k4 of the drawings@ The portions of the comparte,y ments at the: front side of the holders under- 3 neath the front ends of the supports 5 are vplaced therein are supported. The front closed rby means of closing plates 6 or y derstoodv that if such supports were removed the front ends of the utensils would rest uponr edges of the` plates G and that thesaid utensils or articles would beinclined down,- wardlyy and to the rear in the severalcompartments andwould, therefore, retain their position `therein so plong'as the kholders are maintained. with their bases in horizontal n position, as when resting upon a table or other horizontal support. Idy reason of the peculiar construction in4 which the bottom or base 3 of the compartments occupies a plane forming an I obtuse angleto the plane of the ends 2 and compartments-fl as described and in which the upper edges of the ends-and compart-` loo ments 4 are cut at right angles to the planes of such ends and compartments also as described, the holder whenflifted isl aptkor tends to turn so thatthe base or bottom '3 occupies a position "inclined with .respect to a horizontal lplane While the top -of the holder tends to assume a position With the top edges of the parts 2 and 4, in a horizontal plane. lVhen, however, the holder occui to be lifted and carried in its normal posi tion as though it were resting upon a table or other horizontal support, I have provided parts of the top portion of the holder With a handle or hand-piece in which the portion thereof to be grasped by the hand is in parallel relation to the base or bottom of the holder. In Figs. l and 2 I have shown such a hand-piece as consisting of a separate eXtension 8 secured to the plate 4. Such exten-l sion is generally speaking of triangular shape and is provided with an opening l0, the upper portion of Which, between the points m-a, is substantially parallel to the base 3. This is the portion which is grasped by the v hand when the holder is lifted. It is clear, therefore, that When graspedy at this point and lifted the holder will remain in its normal position with its base in a horizontal plane.

In Figs 3 and Ll I have shown a construction in which the upper end of the division plate l is provided With a straight sided slot l?. parallel to the base 3. `When a holderl is lifted by placing the fingers through and grasping the upper side Wall of a slot such as l2it will be understood that the holder retains or remains in its normal position 1autlrits base occupying a horizontal plane. n

In Fig. 5 a longer holder is provided rendering it desirable that the lifting means be situated at the opposite ends thereof. Accordingly,Ihave provided straight sided slots 13 in the opposite end plates thereof. rlhe sides of these slots are parallel to the base 3 so that when the holder is lifted as above described with respect to the con'- structions illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the holder remains in its normal position yWith its base occupying ahorizontal plane. y

In providing means whereby When the holders are lifted they maintain their normal positions in the manner above pointed out, the possibility of knives, forks, spoons or other utensils sliding accidentally` from their respective compartments is reduced to a minimum.

I claim 1. A holder of the character described the base of which occupies a plane forming an obtuse angle With the body portion of the holder While the upper end of the said 'holder occupies a plane at right angles to the body portion of said holder and the said holder being provided with means whereby the saine may be lifted which means is situated in a plane parallel to the base and forming an acute angle With the plane of the top of said holder.

2. A holder of the character described, consisting of a boX-like device open at one side and provided with a division plate forming compartments, one of the said compartments beinglof'greater `depth than the other, and each of the said compartments being provided with means whereby when articles are placed therein their front ends are held in elevated position and the base of the said holder occupying a position inV a plane forming an obtuse angle kwith the longitudinal axis of the said holder and the top of the said holder occupying a plane at right `angles to such longitudinal axis and the said division plate being provided with means whereby When the said holder is lifted it is maintained in its normal posi* tion with its base occupying a horizontal plane such means including a part Which is parallel to said base. i

' In testimony `that I claim the foregoing as my invention I havel hereunto signed my name this 24th day of January, A. D. 1914.

WILLIAM J. GrBnoNs.

In the presence of- I-IonAoE D. Runvn, CYRUs N. ANDERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

